WAKA Kickball Founder’s Cup Pool Play Analysis – Pools M – O

Kickball365 is proud to present our own breakdown of the WAKA Kickball Founder’s Cup Pool Play Analysis. In this post we’ll discuss Pools M-O. We will be posting the remaining pools over the next few days. However, if you’d like to view the ongoing discussion you can do so here.

Pool M
Lock It Up – NY Freedom Division (#13)
The Guy Fawkes Conservatory – CA Studio Division (#18)
Ballz en Fuego – CA Big Surf Division (#40)
Upper Deckers – CO Mountain Division (#45)

Analysis: LIU, one of the northeast powerhouses, draws into Pool M and assumes favorite status behind a tremendous helping of tourney experience. A couple of scratches due to bum legs will life challenging for All Orange in the knockout rounds, but they look to have an easier time in pool play. Well, except for the game with GFC, who nearly pulled the upset of last year’s pool play over a Ft. Lauderdale squad heavily favored to coast that made the terrible mistake of overlooking. This will be an intriguing matchup between LIU and GFC – both play very, very good defense, but the former may have just enough offense to take the 1 slot. Big drop off after LIU and GFC. The Upper Deckers took home a surprise crown as the 3 seed in the Mountain summer campaign, so they have nice momentum heading into Vegas. But they – and the San Diego Fireballs – will be really up against it. We’d love to anoint BEF as a team that could raise SD’s profile in the SoCal competitive scene, but we have to give the edge to UD for the bronze.

Pool N
Balls Deeper – FL Beach Division (#14)
Capital Punishment – NC Capital Division (#17)
CHUG NORRIS – AZ Blister Division (#41)
Team Ramrod – NY Victory Division (#44)

Analysis: FCXII semifinalist Balls Deeper headlines Pool N and has to be the favorite to advance in the first slot here. They’ll answer very pointed questions about the depth of this particular roster — and the future of the franchise — in single elim. And they will get some great warmup in pool play from the most embarrassingly underseeded team in the field, Ramrod. Critics of the WAKA seeding system this year will point this out as the single biggest mistake in the selection committee’s deliberations. The third competitive squad out of NYC, the Rodders needed a last-minute summer league crown to get the nod, but they are no stranger to tourney ball. They are easy favorites to advance out of Pool N but would love to get the quality scalp (against BD) the national scene has been demanding from them in return for greater respect. CP should put up a good fight as the lone Triangle rep in FC but looks headed for 3rd on the podium here; the Chuggers, true to their name, are hoping Pool N is really, really close to the beer tent.

Pool O
Straight to the Bank – AZ Fire Division (#15)
Super Skinnies – FL Central Division (#16)
Thunderballs – NM Mesa Division (#42)
Los Borrachos 2.0 – CA Orange Crush Division (#43)

Analysis: As expected for the hairpin pool (the part of the snake draft where seeds are consecutive), this looks to be the most fiercely contested of the 15. Straight to the Bank is the desert’s best hope at an FC contender this year and is back at FC looking for more respect at the national level. And they’ll get if they can knock off a very, very pesky Super Skinnies squad that loves playing loose (if it can shake the occasional nerves and temper). Would love to watch the STB-SS game in pool play — right up there with Balls Deep-Ramrod and Sofa Kings-Cobra Kai as the pool play feature contests. Regardless, expect the Arizonians and Floridians to go through. Slight edge for the last spot on the podium goes to the Thunderballs from the Land of Enchantment; we’re convinced Irvine wants no part of the SoCal competitive scene — well, not on purpose, anyways.

Agree? Disagree? Join the Forum to post your thoughts. Follow the discussion here.